Major League Hacking (MLH) to Accelerate Blockchain Education for Student Developers, Focused on Solana
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
-
Hackathon
11 min read
The article centers on MLH hackathons as the primary vehicle for blockchain education. Understanding the history and evolution of hackathons from their origins in the 1990s open-source movement to modern corporate-sponsored events provides context for why this educational model is effective for developer training.
-
Solana (blockchain platform)
12 min read
Solana is the core technology focus of this initiative. Readers would benefit from understanding its technical architecture, proof-of-history consensus mechanism, and how it differs from Ethereum and other blockchains to appreciate why MLH chose this specific ecosystem.
-
Open-source software movement
13 min read
The article mentions students contributing to open-source projects through MLH's Fellowship Program. Understanding the philosophical and practical foundations of open-source development explains why this model is valuable for early-career developers and blockchain ecosystems.
NEW YORK, NY -- Major League Hacking (MLH), the world’s leading community of developers, has announced an initiative to expand access to blockchain education and hands-on learning for next-gen developers worldwide, with a focus on Solana, the fastest-growing blockchain ecosystem.
Through this initiative, the Solana ecosystem will debut at MLH hackathons, giving developers opportunities to explore blockchain technology and gain practical experience through hands-on workshops, challenges, and mentorship. The initiative will expand to include a Solana Micro-Grant Program, awarding up to 75 developer grants ranging from several hundred to a few thousand dollars each through December 2026 to support promising builders in continuing their work beyond hackathons.
“Our mission has always been to help developers learn by doing,” said Mike Swift, CEO and co-founder of MLH. “By focusing on Solana, we’re connecting developers directly to an active ecosystem where their projects and skills can evolve into real startups and careers.”
The collaboration aims to increase awareness and adoption of Solana among next-gen developers, attract new builders into the ecosystem, and create sustained engagement through continued funding and mentorship opportunities. Participants will also have access to Solana-related educational tracks through MLH’s Fellowship Program, where students can contribute directly to open-source projects in the ecosystem instead of a traditional internship.
“We believe the next wave of blockchain innovation will come from students and early-career developers,” said Jacob Creech, head of developer relations at Solana. “Communities like MLH allow the next generation of talent to find the tools, mentorship, and funding needed to experiment on Solana and bring new ideas to life.”
In addition to hackathon integrations, the initiative will include workshops, developer challenges, and content designed to help participants learn key concepts such as Solana program development, payments, and AI. While the initial rollout will focus on developers in North America, the efforts will include global opportunities such as “100 Days of Solana,” an open developer learning challenge.
The Solana Micro-Grant Program, expected to open for applications in early 2026, will provide funding to a diverse range of projects, including developer tools, public-good infrastructure, educational templates, and early-stage startups building on Solana. In addition to financial support, recipients will receive community mentorship and exposure within the Solana ecosystem.
About Major League Hacking (MLH)
Major League Hacking (MLH) is the global community powering the next generation of developers. With a network of more than
...This excerpt is provided for preview purposes. Full article content is available on the original publication.